I was very pleased (and mildly surprised) a few weeks ago when Fred’s name appeared on the list for our Bible study in prison. I was even more pleased when Fred actually joined our study of God’s Word that day. He had been a very faithful member of our Bible study group before the Covid-19 pandemic but had not rejoined our group when our study of God’s Word resumed more than six months ago.
When we ended our Bible study that day, Fred asked to meet with me for just a minute or two. After everyone else had left, Fred told me that he had gotten “lazy” with his study of God’s Word during the months when the prison was locked down because of Covid. His daily study of God’s Word had been routine, but it didn’t take long before the routine dwindled from every day to every third or fourth day. Soon, his Bible began to “collect dust,” as Fred put it.
Fred asked for my forgiveness for his neglect of God’s Word, and I gladly told him that I do forgive him. More importantly, I assured Fred that our Father in heaven forgives the sinful neglect of His Word. He forgives because our Savior never neglected God’s Word, and because Jesus paid for all of our sins — including our unfaithfulness with the study of God’s Word — with his sufferings and death on the cross.
I also encouraged Fred to pray for the Holy Spirit’s work so that his faithful study of God’s Word would always be a fruit of the Spirit and not just routine.
With the Holy Spirit’s blessings, Fred is still joining us every week as we study the Word of God together. I thank God for that Spirit-worked routine in Fred’s life as a redeemed believer in Jesus!